Fourth of July Creek to Born Lakes

  AWD HI YES

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Mileage: 8.5 mi

Region: White Clouds Wilderness

Elev. Gain: 2,040 ft

When to Go: Jun—Oct

Avg. Time: 4.5 hr

Parking: Small unpaved lot

Type: Out & Back

Pass: None

AllTrails: Route

Trailhead Coordinates:

44.04696,-114.65754

 

Know Before You Go:

  • A totally underrated trail, the perfect place for even more solitude if the Sawtooths aren't empty enough for you.

  • The first portion of the trail traverses a burn area so be alert.

  • Dog friendly.

  • The lake can be buggy so bring Deet and maybe even a bug net.

  • There is quite a bit of uphill hiking on the return journey so save some energy.

  • Be sure to take the detour to your right once you reach the saddle for an even better view of the basin before your decent towards the lake.

  • The trailhead lies at the end of a 10 mile dirt road that is fairly well maintained but does have some dips and large loose rocks so drive slow - extra clearance would be helpful here.

  • This trailhead serves as the jump off point for many others trails so the parking lot can be crowded even if the trail is not.

  • Compared to some of the others in the area this trail is well maintained and easy to follow, no route finding required to complete this hike.